Episodes
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BPR Full Show: Up in the Air
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about a Stoughton High School student who was suspended for protesting the school district's ban on pride flags and Black Lives Matter flags. Juliette Kayyem discussed massive flight delays and cancellations after the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) reported an outage of its Notice to Air Missions System. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the homeland-security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Her latest book is "The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters." Corby Kummer talked about the closure of critically-acclaimed Danish restaurant Noma — often regarded as the best restaurant in the world. Kummer is the executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Jared Bowen weighed in on the return of the Golden Globes after multiple scandals involving racism, corruption, and sexual assault. Bowen is GBH's Executive Arts Editor. He hosts “Open Studio with Jared Bowen” on GBH Channel 2. Eric Deggans shared his favorite television shows of 2022, from "Abbott Elementary" to "We Need to Talk About Cosby." Deggans is NPR’s TV critic, a contributor to NBC, MSNBC and BPR. He’s also the author of “Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.” Kenneth Griffith, Jacob Hiser, Mara Stein, and Jean-Caleb Belizaire of Boston Children's Chorus joined us for an in-studio performance ahead of their “Becoming King: 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert” at Boston Symphony Orchestra. Griffith is a conductor and Associate Director of Choirs for the Boston Children's Chorus. Hiser is the collaborative pianist for the Boston Children's Chorus. Stein and Belizaire are members of the Boston Children's Chorus. For tickets to Monday’s “Becoming King: 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert” at Boston Symphony Orchestra, go to BostonChildrensChorus.org. We ended the show by talking with listeners about a recent string of airline fiascos, from surging ticket prices to last-minute cancellations. -
BPR Full Show: On the Block
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about confidential documents found at President Joe Biden’s former office he used as Vice President. Trenni Casey talked about Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin’s recovery after collapsing during a Bills-Bengals game in early January, and a disappointing season for the Patriots. Casey is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Carol Rose shared her analysis of Gov. Maura Healey’s promise to not claim exemption to public records laws, and new Barnstable Sheriff Donna Buckley ending the County Sheriff’s Office’s enforcement agreement with ICE. Rose is the executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Laurent Richard discussed “Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus,” a new two-part FRONTLINE and Forbidden Stories documentary exploring how NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware has been employed to target journalists, activists, and dissidents. Richard is a producer of Frontline’s latest two-part series “Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus.” The second part airs on GBH 2 Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 10 p.m., and you can stream both parts on PBS Passport. Jordan Knight and Vance Welch talked about the reopening of their Milton restaurant, Novara, and life with New Kids on the Block. Knight was a member of New Kids On the Block. Welch is a restaurateur. They recently reopened their joint venture, Novara, in Milton. John King updated us on the latest political headlines, focusing on confidential documents found at President Joe Biden’s former office. King is CNN’s Chief National Correspondent, and host of “Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays at noon. We ended the show by talking with listeners about whether picking when to eat is a barrier to health. -
BPR Full Show: Transit, COVID, and more
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking about our fascination with scandal in the British royal family – and how it distracts us from the fraying of democracy. EJ Dionne weighed in on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s contentious election for House Speaker last week, and pro-Bolsonaro riots in Brazil’s Capital with claims of election fraud. Dionne is a columnist for the Washington Post. He’s also a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is “100% Democracy: The Case For Universal Voting.” Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson shared their hopes on what Gov. Maura Healey should prioritize in Mass. transit, from safety at the MBTA to strengthening the state’s roads and bridges. Aloisi is a former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and a contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is the executive director of the Livable Streets Alliance. Drs. Allison Bryant and Nicole Smith explained how a local doula program is trying to combat maternal mortality disparities. Dr. Bryant is a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Mass General Hospital and is Senior Medical Director for Health Equity Quality and Patient Experience. Dr. Smith is a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III shared their thoughts on how Congressmembers’ religions don’t reflect the diverse religions in modern America, and a controversial firing of a professor who showed art of the Prophet Muhammed in a college course. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host GBH’s “All Rev’d Up” podcast. Richard Blanco shared a few poems from “Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology,” and discussed Dolly Parton’s avid fanbase. Blanco is the fifth Presidential Inaugural Poet in U.S. history and the first Poet Laureate of Miami-Dade County. His latest collection is “How To Love A Country.” We ended the show by talking with listeners about the latest COVID surge. -
BPR Full Show: Two Years After the Attack on the Capitol
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the two-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and current dysfunction in Congress. Lyndia Downie weighed in on Gov. Maura Healey’s plans to support the homeless through supportive housing. Downie is the president and executive director for the Pine Street Inn. Callie Crossley talked about Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin’s collapse under cardiac arrest earlier this week during the Bills-Bengals NFL game. Crossley is the host of “Under the Radar,” which you can catch Sunday nights on 89-7 at 6 p.m. She’s also the host of “Basic Black,” which airs Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Her “Callie Commentaries” can be heard on Mondays for GBH’s “Morning Edition. Andrea Cabral shared her thoughts on how Attorney General-elect Andrea Campbell may handle an appeal against the dismissal of criminal charges for leaders of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, where at least 76 veterans died from COVID-19. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety. Sue O’Connell talked about what Gov. Healey’s historic win means for the LGBTQ+ community. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. Sean Smith and Summer McCall talked about the 20th anniversary of the Boston Celtic Music Festival at Club Passim. Musicians Maura Shawn Scanlin, Eamon Sefton, Simon Lace, Conor Hearn, and Adam Hendey performed in the first Live Music Friday at the Boston Public Library of 2023. Smith and McCall are organizers of the Boston Celtic Music Festival at Club Passim. The festival runs from Jan. 12-15. We ended the show by asking listeners what could convince them to switch to an electric vehicle. -
BPR Full Show: Climate, Remarks from President Biden, and more
Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC’s Chuck Todd zoomed in to discuss Republican Kevin McCarthy’s repeated failures to secure the support of his party to become the next Speaker of the House. He also discussed how the concessions McCarthy’s made to rally support could affect his ability to control legislative debates if he is voted in. Chuck Todd is the Moderator of Meet the Press, host of Meet the Press Daily on MSNBC, and the Political Director for NBC news. Then we took our listener’s calls about how they feel regarding the ability of this Congress to effectively legislate for the next two years in the wake of the Republican’s inability to choose a leader. Then we broke programming and broadcast President Joe Biden’s announcement that he is expanding the government's efforts to deport immigrants who cross the U.S. southern border illegally Following President Biden's remarks, Boston Globe Business Columnist Shirley Leung came on to discuss her interviews with local reporters Janet Wu and Alison King on their long and storied careers in local media. She also discussed some of her recent columns of efforts to mitigate homelessness in the city. Then Rebekah Gewirtz, the president of Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, came on to discuss the state’s new Behavioral Health Hotline. The new service connects callers with social workers who then directly connect people to mental health and substance use medical providers. GBH News Political Reporter Adam Reilly came into the studio and political reporter Katie Lannan called in from the statehouse to discuss the historic inauguration of Governor Maura Healey, the first woman and openly gay person to be elected as Governor of Massachusetts. The two discussed some of the focus of Healey's speech, including housing, income equality and climate change. -
BPR Full Show: Schadenfreude
Today on Boston Public Radio: Rep. Ayanna Pressley discussed her priorities for 2023 with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, and shared her thoughts on Tuesday’s failed House Speaker vote. Congresswoman Pressley represents Massachusetts’ 7th district. Then, we opened the phone lines, talking with listeners about the turbulent start to this year’s Congressional session. Marcela García weighed in on how more immigration could help America’s growing economic problems, and concerns over user security on TikTok. García is an associate editor and columnist for the Boston Globe. Former State Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz discussed the latest news from Beacon Hill. Chang-Díaz is a former State Senator for Mass. and a former public school teacher. She was the first Latina and first Asian-American State Senator in Mass. history. Jared Bowen talked about the upcoming Whitney Houston biopic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” and the American adaptation of “A Man Called Otto.” Bowen is GBH News’ executive arts editor. He hosts “Open Studio with Jared Bowen” on GBH 2. Sy Montgomery joined us for this month’s edition of “The Afternoon Zoo,” focusing on the rescue of frozen bats in Texas and the neurobiological connections between horses and humans. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist, author and a BPR contributor. Her latest book is “The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty.” We ended the show by talking with listeners about their coyote woes. -
BPR Full Show: The (Cheesecake) Factory
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners whether they’re optimistic or pessimistic for the year to come. Trenni Casey updated us on the status of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, who collapsed mid-game on Monday under cardiac arrest. She also shared her thoughts on broader safety concerns in the world of sports, from lacrosse to hockey. Casey is an anchor and reporter with NBC Sports Boston, and a BPR contributor. Juliette Kayyem weighed in on a recent attack in New York, where a man from Maine attacked police officers in Times Square with a machete. She also dissected Republican Rep. George Santos' various lies, and shared how a potential re-opening of a criminal investigation into his past by Brazilian officials could complicate his time in Congress. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Gina McCarthy discussed the future of climate action in the U.S., and concerns over the Earth’s dwindling resources in the midst of climate change. McCarthy served as the first ever White House national climate advisor, serving President Joe Biden, the EPA administrator under President Obama and is co-chair of Governor-elect Maura Healey’s climate change transition policy committee. Nancy Gertner shared her thoughts on the final Jan. 6 committee hearing. Gertner is a retired federal judge, a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School, and a BPR regular. Corby Kummer talked about the rise of drive-throughs, ghost kitchens, and delivery apps over the course of the pandemic, as well as The Cheesecake Factory’s enduring legacy. Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. We ended the show by talking with listeners about America’s fascination with The Cheesecake Factory. -
BPR Full Show: New Year, New Me
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the many lies and controversies of Republican Rep.-elect George Santos. Michael Curry shared his thoughts on Gov. Charlie Baker’s legacy, and Massachusetts’ new Behavioral Health Help Line. Curry is the president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, where he chairs the board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. He serves on Governor-elect Maura Healey’s transition team, and Attorney General-elect Andrea Campbell’s transition team. Charlie Sennott discussed the life and death of Pope Benedict, and the passing of legendary journalist Barbara Walters. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and editor-in-chief of the Ground Truth Project. Kara Baskin talked about societal judgment for mothers foregoing breastfeeding, and managing your emotions as a parent. Baskin writes about food and parenting for Boston Globe. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III shared their thoughts on Pope Benedict’s religious doctrine and controversial handling of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together they host the “All Rev’d Up” podcast. Imari Paris Jeffries talked about the upcoming unveiling of Boston’s “The Embrace,” a sculpture memorializing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, and the Civil Rights movement. Jeffries is the executive director of Embrace Boston. The MLK “Embrace” monument will be unveiled on Friday, Jan. 13, on the Boston Common. We ended the show by asking listeners about their New Year’s resolutions. -
BPR Full Show: It's Electric
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by talking with listeners about the future of Twitter and TikTok, as the social media platforms face increasing scrutiny by U.S. lawmakers. Jeremy Siegel and Sonja Tengblad explained how the development of Logan Airport destroyed a Frederick Law Olmsted park, and shared how East Boston residents face negative health impacts as a result. Siegel is a co-host on GBH’s Morning Edition. Tengblad is a coordinator with the group Mothers Out Front – East Boston. Andrea Cabral discussed changes to mental healthcare for those incarcerated in Mass. correctional facilities. Cabral is the former sheriff of Suffolk County and former secretary of public safety here in the Commonwealth. Andy Ihnatko talked about increasing scrutiny of TikTok by members of Congress. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger. Shirley Leung shared her thoughts on Mayor Michelle Wu’s distant relationship with Boston’s business community, and supportive housing for those experiencing chronic homelessness. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe. Sy Montgomery joined us for this month’s edition of “The Afternoon Zoo,” sharing the story of 190-year-old Jonathan the Tortoise. Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist, author and a BPR contributor. Her latest book is “The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty.” We ended the show by talking with listeners about outdoor holiday decorations and rising electric costs. -
BPR Full Show: Jolene
Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking our listener's if they've continued to follow the news from Ukraine as Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy prepared to meet U.S. President Joe Biden. Arthur Caplan came on to discuss a study which found that residents living in conservative parts of the country were more likely to experience higher levels of illness and death related to COVID-19. He also discussed how conservative policies on immigration is affecting staffing levels at nursing homes. Arthur Caplan is the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Juliete Kayyem discussed how the Supreme Court has temporarily upheld a Trump-era policy known as Title 42. The immigration policy allows the federal governemnt to deport undocumented immigrants based on public health grounds. Kayyem is former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, and the faculty chair of the Homeland Security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Chris Muther came on to rank airlines based on the customer experience. He also explained why he believes Arizona is the premier Christmas destination. Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson discussed Gov.-elect Maura Healey's approach to replacing the general manager of the MBTA, and how food delivery drivers are clogging Boston streets. Aloisi is a former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets Alliance. Rachel Miller Munzer and Rachel Sundet joined to talk about Jewish cuisine on the fourth night of Hanukkah. Munzer is an owner and the CRO of Mamaleh’s, a local delicatessen with three locations in the Boston area: in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, Brookline’s Washington Square and downtown Boston. Sundet is an owner and the pastry chef at Mameleh’s. We ended the show by taking our listener's calls to hear about what holiday traditions they are embracing ahead of this weekend.
